Hello to all this
by harleighkwin
Summary: what could happen after the x-files episode "Millennium" and how we find Frank Black's happily ever after...Any character you do not know is mine and all the others are OWNED by the creators of Millennium and X-Files. leave feedback
1. Chapter 1

ONE

Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.-St. Paul, Hebrews 11:1

Taylor panted in terror as she dropped to the floor by the bed in the motel room. She forcefully yanked the lamp cord out of the outlet and sat there in total darkness. She bit back tears and whimpered as she moved her eyes across the room. Her beloved sister was huddled in a ball nearby, shaking with fear. Taylor's heart thudded in her ears and she prayed softly, hoping that the man outside did not see her through the curtains. A chilled silence filled the room as she reached carefully on the nightstand for her cell phone and dialed.

"9-1-1 emergency..."

Taylor swallowed hard and tried to speak as softly as she could. The woman's voice was soothing, something she could use right now.

"I need help, please. There's a man after me, he's outside the door. My sister and I are trapped here, please hurry." Taylor's heart banged through her rib cage in a mixture of fear and excitement knowing that she actually could tell someone what was going on.

"All right Miss, it's going to be ok, I just need you to tell me where you are." The woman could obviously hear the terror in Taylor's voice.

"Off Spyglass Hill Drive, the Paint Valley Motel Room 4…"

"All right miss, just hold tight, I'm sending police right now. Are you hurt?"

"No, but please hurry, please, he's outside and he's going to kill us. I don't even know who he is or what he wants but he's been trying to get in for the past twenty minutes." Taylor responded. She heard the woman's fingertips clicking on a computer keyboard and it soothed her anxiety slightly.

"All right miss I need to put you on hold for a second, just stay on the line with me; we're going to help you."

Then the voice was gone. Taylor sat on the floor for the moment in the darkness, the cell phone clutched tightly in her trembling hand. Suddenly she heard voices outside the door and a wave of terror slammed into her. She did her best to try to crawl to her sister, but she never made it. Two bullets through her chest and Taylor Hutchinson never felt a thing.

A few months passed since things had returned to somewhat normal. Frank Black was home from his self-inflicted captivity in the psychiatric ward. He moved himself and his beloved daughter Jordan to a small country farmhouse on the outskirts of Lancaster Pennsylvania. The property was filled with trees, lots of places to explore and an area where Frank talked about building a treehouse. The backyard was fenced in and shared by the house next-door, owned by a very charming large family named Downing. They had four children, which Jordan befriended almost immediately, and in a moment's notice, Frank would not even hesitate allowing the parents, Alan and Stacey, to watch her when work made him unavailable.

Due to an unfortunate case of sudden poor health, Frank's father-in-law Tom Miller collapsed and died 5 weeks ago, just after Christmas. Afterward, the court had come to a conclusion that Frank was more than capable of raising his daughter provided he go through the court-appointed social checks every six months. Also stated in the court report Jordan was to have monthly visitations to her grandmother, Justine. Frank was very sorry to experience Tom's death, especially for Jordan's sake. She had already gone through the terrible loss of her mother and now her grandfather. Even though Frank marveled at the amount of strength and spirit in his young daughter, he still pondered on just how much heartache a person should endure. He wanted the best for her and realized it was time to put the past behind and concentrate on the future for both of them.

Frank was sitting in the dimly lit living room, glancing over at the clock on the wall. Ten thirty three pm. He pushed his chair away from his desk and stood up to stretch. His neck was stiff from sitting endless hours at the computer; trying to find a somewhat better job in the field of interest he was accustomed. So far, he had no luck. The only work he had for now was a criminal profiler for the local police department. The regular hours were quite accommodating in his pursuit of spending more time with his daughter. He closed out the program on the laptop and shut it down for the night. He reached over and pulled the chain on the nearby floor lamps the phone rang.

"Frank Black." He answered.

"Frank, this is Don Graver at the station. I am sorry to bother you now but we have a double homicide at the Paint Valley motel just down the road from you. Placek is already there and he'll meet you."

"I guess I should ask for that vacation now huh?" Frank smirked to himself.

"Very funny," Graver answered with no spark of humor. He was not a very emotional man.

"I'll be there, Don." Frank pressed END on his cordless phone, waited a few seconds then hit TALK and dialed the Downing household.

"Hello?" Alan answered, apparently in the middle of chewing a late-evening snack.

"Hey, Alan, it's Frank Black. I am sorry to call now but I have to run out to a crime scene and I was wondering if you would watch Jordan for me. I'll bring her over in a few minutes."

"No need Frank." Alan quickly finished chewing and swallowed. "Monica is still awake upstairs, studying. I'll have her go over and sit with Jordan until you get back so we don't have to disturb her."

Frank smiled. Monica was Downing's eldest child. She was seventeen and focused on going to Harvard and becoming the next Sarah Palin. Jordan adored her and Monica was very trustworthy.

"Hey thanks a bunch, Alan. I don't know what I would do without all of you."

"Not a problem, Frank. I'll send Monica right over."

Frank hung up the phone and fumbled around the living room for his keys, wallet, and cell phone. He was tempted to run upstairs and check on Jordan but he knew Placek was waiting for him. He made his way towards the front door and grabbed a khaki colored jacket off the nearby wall rack. Putting it on, he glanced at himself in the oval mirror on the opposite wall at the bottom of the stairs. Frank looked tired and old; with his hairline receded back further than it was a few months ago. Well, at least he still had some hair he thought to himself. He looked deeper into his reflection and realized that every day without Catherine seemed to put another line on his face. He knew that as much as he missed her that she was never coming back. After everything that had happened he was still Frank Black—Jordan's father, ex-F B I agent, ex-Millennium group member, widower, and orphan. Frank also realized one more thing…he was incredibly lonely.

A knock appeared and he pulled himself out of the disappointment from the mirror and opened the fading white washed door. Monica Downing stood there with her bright blue eyes and soft brown hair tied back in a long ponytail. She was wearing a red tracksuit, plain white KEDS and her arms were full of two notebooks, two law books and a pink iPod Nano.

"Hey Mister Black, hope you don't mind me studying while I'm here. I've got mid-terms all next week."

Frank smiled and stepped aside to let her in the foyer. "Of course not, Monica, I really appreciate you doing this for me on short notice. Help yourself to anything in the fridge. If Jordan wakes up just tell her not worry and I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Sure thing. Bye." Monica smiled softly.

"Bye." Frank smiled back and stepped out, shutting the door behind him. He clicked the unlock button on his red Jeep and headed out for the motel.


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

"What do we have?" Frank came trekking up the steps of the guarded motel room as red and blue lights bounced against the battleship gray door.

Detective Martin Placek turned and stepped over to him. He was a small man with G I cut black hair, dull blue eyes and the personality of a constantly losing game show contestant.

"Double homicide of sisters Taylor and Faith Hutchinson. The parents said they were out here for a shopping trip to the outlets."

"Was this a robbery?" Frank questioned.

Placek's eyebrows crinkled. "It doesn't look like it. He would've taken their cards and cash and it's all still there."

Frank was quiet for a moment as he touched the door, trying to get a picture in his mind of what exactly happened but things jumbled. Images flashed through his head of a sobbing woman crying on the phone to 9-1-1—a flash of a gunshot—blood splatter on a pile of new clothes on the bed—a broken window. He couldn't grasp anything much on the killer; perhaps if he went inside he would be more successful.

"Where is everyone else?" Frank asked, only noticing one uniformed officer standing outside the door.

"Kathleen and Warren are on a YMCA accidental drowning and Tara is on a domestic violence follow-up with Craig. We are by ourselves here. Do you want to go in, Frank?"

Did he EVER really want to go in when it came to these things?

"Yeah."

They made their way through the door, through the little desk and television area to the bedroom where on the floor laid a cluttered mess of feathers, blood, and new clothes. Frank immediately saw one of the victims sprawled out on the bed face up. Her beautiful waif-like face splattered with blood obviously caused by the huge gaping wound in her chest, her French manicured hand still holding the cell phone.

"Taylor, thirty-four," Placek started. "We got a call from her a few minutes before she was shot. The 9-1-1 operator could barely understand her since she was almost whispering. I will let you listen to the tape when we receive it. It seemed like an intruder."

"What about the motel manager?" Frank asked.

"He said he heard the shots but wasn't gonna call us because the owner has some outstanding health violations."

Frank scoffed. "What about the other sister?"

"Faith. She is over here near the closet. She has a bullet in her back and there was no pulse. CSI is backed up but they should be here soon." Placek exhaled heavily and rubbed his dry eyes. He managed to find the bed sheet on the floor near his feet and picked it up. He lifted it out into the air to unfold it and placed it softly over Taylor's entire body. Then he took his little notebook and pen out of his pant pocket.

Frank stepped over to Faith, who lay face down on a pile of obviously new clothes and shoes. He knelt down and noticed the bullet hole near her right shoulder blade slightly hidden by her long reddish hair. In his mind, he could see the faces of the two women; he could feel the fright in their eyes and the anger in the man that shot them.

"This was a fight in anger. This man is most likely Taylor's husband since she has on the wedding ring. I am feeling abuse, both verbally and physically. My guess is these women were just going on a little vacation this man didn't approve of."

Placek stood quietly as he wrote everything down Frank said. He tore off the page and made his way back outside to hand it to the uniformed officer outside the door, and then he stepped back in. Placek knew ever since Frank started working for them never to question Frank's intuitions or 'feelings'; just to trust them.

Frank knelt down to touch Faith's back. He moved his hand slowly over her and closed his eyes. He felt such an incredible emotion of sadness and fear that radiated from her.

"Placek, can I turn her over for a moment?" He asked softly.

"Sure, if you think it will help." Placek answered, digging out his cell phone and dialing to see when CSI would arrive.

Frank turned Faith's body over very gently. He pushed her hair off her face and noticed her eyes were closed and she looked almost as if she was asleep. He moved his hand over her alabaster neck, noticing severe bruising.

"He choked her." Frank said.

Placek slapped his cell phone closed and his eyebrows crinkled. "Choked?"

"Yeah, look at her neck. Those bruises came from anger."

"I'll have them dust her for the prints." Placek replied.

Frank touched her neck again and suddenly Faith arched her back up and took a tremendous breath, her eyes opening wide. Frank jumped back in shock as Faith started to cough and made a wheezing gasping attempt for breath.

"Placek!" Frank shouted. "She's alive! Get someone in here fast!"

Placek's eyes widened in shock as if he had just seen a ghost and he dashed out of the room to call paramedics.

Frank crouched back down and leaned Faith's upper body to rest on his lap. He could see blood begin to bubble up from the bullet hole.

"It's ok. Just stay still, we're going to get you some help."

Faith's eyes watered and she tried to sit up and breathe, but the pain in her chest hurt like someone had dropped a car on her.

"Ta-Taylor-r," she managed to speak a scratchy whisper.

"Sssshh, its ok, don't try to talk, we're going to get you help. I think you have a collapsed lung and a crushed larynx."

Faith reached a weak shaky hand out to him and Frank grasped it and held it strongly, like a lover.

"Don't leave me." She barely whispered. "Please don't let me go."

Frank's heart warmed and thudded in his chest with adrenaline and anxiety. "I'm not going to leave you." He smiled softly and pushed the sweat soaked hair off her forehead. "I won't leave you."

Placek returned followed by two orange coated EMT workers charged into the room along with a fresh white sheeted gurney. They made their way to get as close to Faith as possible and clicked the gurney down to floor level in order to place Faith on safely.

"She's got blood in her lungs, a collapse and possible tracheal damage." Frank tried to stand up out of the way but Faith's hand still clung to his.

"Don't leave me. I don't wanna die all by myself. Please stay with me." Faith pleaded, sobbing.

Frank shot a glance at Placek as if to ask permission. His face softened and he nodded.

"Stay with her Frank. I'll get Tara to help me here." Frank nodded and helped the EMT workers ease Faith onto the gurney and raise it up to wheel it out of the room. He never let go of Faith's hand as they made their way out of the room, outside and into the ambulance.


	3. Chapter 3

Three

Two hours later, Frank was sitting outside Faith's hospital room door. He had rode with her the entire trip in the ambulance and even held her hand in the emergency room. Then as the doctor has asked him to leave, Frank told her he would wait for her until she woke up from surgery. He had to wait. Those incredible hazel eyes of hers captivated him. She was a beautiful girl, so unlucky at what had happened to her. He knew their paths crossed for a reason and he had to know why. Even though Frank hated hospitals he said he was not going to leave Faith until it was ok, which meant possibly a few more hours. He had already called Monica and informed her about what was going on. Monica said it was no problem for her to stay as long as he needed her and she would even take Jordan to school before her own classes if necessary.

Frank took a much-needed deep breath, glancing down at his hands. The one that touched Faith's blood was washed hours ago yet the palm was still tinted and the other one that Faith was holding for the past few hours. It was red and a little sore, but it felt warm. Almost like the very soul of Faith was holding on to it. Something was very different about her. He felt it immediately, even before she woke up. He thought how lucky she was not to have suffered the same fate as her sister and now they have a witness to this horrible crime. Frank sat up in the uncomfortable metal folding chair as he noticed Placek and Officer Tara Egan coming up the hall. Tara's almost white blonde hair was shining in the brightness of the hospital lights and made it almost glow.

"How is she?" Placek asked.

Frank stood up. "She had a collapsed lung from one bullet, most likely the Beretta I saw the suspect holding in my images." Frank dug in his pocket and pulled out the bullet that the doctor had given him wrapped up in some 4 x 4 gauze and handed it over to Tara. "The bruises on her neck were from an attempted strangulation that must've caused her to pass out with the killer thinking she was dead."

"But she's alive. Can she talk?" Tara asked.

"Not yet. Vocal chords have suffered trauma, not to mention her lung needs to repair itself. It is going to take some healing time."

"Great now we have a witness that can't say anything." Tara pouted. She was always very gung-ho when it came to crimes against women.

"She'll heal in time." Placek soothed. "In the meantime, we have an APB out on the suspect. Looks like what you said, Frank. Taylor's husband Marcus Krieger has a domestic violence and abuse record as long as this hallway. We dug up a few more things on him. Not a nice guy at all."

Frank rubbed his eyes and yawned. He was exhausted.

"Frank, have some coffee and go home for a while. You've been here a long time." Tara told him.

"I promised her I wouldn't leave her. I'll stay until she wakes up." He stated. It is not that he didn't want to leave; he couldn't. Something happened to him when he held her hand and looked into her eyes. Something he had not felt in a long time; a warmth inside of him like the first burst of blue heat when you turn a gas stove on.

"All right Frank. Just in case, I will have a uniform outside her door. We'll be in touch." Placek patted Frank's shoulder and he and Tara headed back down the hall.

Frank sighed as the door to Faith's room opened and a slender nurse with long blonde braids and peach-colored scrubs stepped out.

"She's asking for you. I have given her a pen and notebook. Just be patient and do not stay too long. Please make sure she doesn't say a word, she needs to heal."

Frank nodded and gave a small closed mouth smile. "Thank you very much." The nurse smiled warmly and left them to be alone. As Frank stepped into the room, he could feel his heart race in his chest. He could feel the blood race throughout his body as he saw Faith laying there in the bed. He took a chair and sat at her side. She was sitting up comfortably in bed and the color has slowly begun to return to her face. Her throat bandaged and he could see her breathing monitored, but her eyes were just as lovely as when she first opened them. She propped her notebook up on her lap and began writing, hoping not to have him wait too long in conversation and feel uncomfortable. She turned the notebook so he could read her very clear handwriting.

'What's your name?'

Frank smiled. "My name is Frank Black."

Faith turned the page, wrote again and showed it to him.

'Thank you for saving me. I was so scared but when you held my hand I knew I was safe.'

"You're welcome. I know you were scared." Frank answered.

Faith turned the page again and wrote down one word to show to him.

'Taylor?'

Frank inhaled heavily and his face frowned slightly.

"She didn't make it. I'm so sorry."

Faith's face softened and flooding her mind were all the past years spent with her sister. Fighting, playing Barbie, and growing up at the house by the beach. It was all gone. Her eyes grew liquid with tears but she realized it was too painful to cry and quickly wiped them away.

"My fiancée died last year…got caught up in a rip currant. I just felt I could get over that…now Taylor."

Frank took her hand again. "I'm sorry for your lost love, I know what that feels like and I know this is all a terrible situation, but we need you to help us, Faith. Help us get who killed Taylor."

Faith closed her eyes for a minute, opened them again and realized Frank still had her hand. She squeezed it and nodded. She then wrote what seemed like a paragraph down on the next page of the notebook and showed it to him.

'Taylor and I decided to take a trip for a couple days to the outlets. We both work for our father's restaurant at the beach and because of the hurricane this past summer the building had to have some repairs. We spent the day shopping together and when we got back to the hotel room, we were going through everything we bought and talking about where to go for dinner. Then someone kicked the door down. Taylor grabbed her cell and tried to call 911, but he shot her. Then I felt a hand on my neck and there was a loud bang. I couldn't breathe and everything went dark.'

"Did you see his face?" Frank asked.

Faith wrote again on the next page and showed him.

"No, I couldn't. It was too dark. He was a very big guy, built like a bar bouncer…and he smelled."

Frank crinkled his forehead in curiosity. "Smelled like what?'

Faith turned the page again and wrote down a few sentences. As she wrote, Frank watched her in sort of awe. Her complexion was pure porcelain, with soft cheeks and a full set of blush colored lips. Her hair was pulled back off her face in a mass of thick waves the color of red autumn leaves on a sunlit tree. She was beautiful.

'He had a very bad case of body odor and it was intense…like a bag of rotting onions and his shoes were covered in dirt. He tracked it all over our new clothes almost on purpose.'

"We think that maybe the guy that did this was Marcus, Faith. Do you think that's possible?"

Faith set her pen down for a moment and looked at Frank slightly confused. She picked up the pen again and scribbled down her words quickly, forgetting the whole penmanship rule you learn in first grade.

'Frank, Marcus is dead. He died about seven months ago.'

Frank sat quietly for a few minutes, his mind thinking quickly.

"Faith, a lot of things here aren't adding up." He stood up from his chair, slowly releasing her hand. "I'm going to go to the station and maybe back to the crime scene and do some more investigating. Is there anything I can get for you before I go?"

She scribbled down once again as the tears began to flow down her cheeks and showed it to him.

"Do you think someone can call my parents?" She sobbed even though it made her throat hurt so badly.

"We already did, Faith. They said they don't want to come until Taylor's body is released and you both return to Bradley Beach for Taylor's funeral."

Faith nodded understanding. Her parents probably thought best not to see their eldest child flat on a forensics table with a giant hole in her chest. Her father would most likely blame Faith anyway, he was a hard man with the inability to ever show or tolerate losing control. She could just hear him say how this trip was her idea and her fault. She started to cry harder and Frank crouched down to his knees beside her bed taking her notebook from her hands. He set it aside and took both of her hands in his, looking into her eyes.

"Faith, I promise you I will get to the bottom of this. I will not let anyone hurt you and I will give you closure on Taylor's death. You have my word on this." Frank's voice was raspy and tired but sincere. He made a promise he was going to keep. He stood back on his feet and released her hands, handed her back the notebook. She quickly finished scribbling on what she had started and showed him the page.

'I believe in you, Frank Black.'

Frank smiled and made his way to the door. "I'll be back to see you in a day or two." He opened the door and started down the hospital hallway.


	4. Chapter 4

Four

Frank arrived back home just in time to see his daughter off to school. He stood on the front steps watching her get on the bus as Monica made her way towards him with all of her stuff in hand.

"Thank you again for staying Monica, I really appreciate it." He smiled and handed her $20.

Monica took the money with slow acceptance and smiled. "You're welcome. It's never any trouble to watch Jordan, she's a good kid. I actually think my little brother Todd likes her a lot."

"I'll keep that in mind." He said smiling.

"Oh, before I run to class you got a phone call last night about midnight, a Detective Geblehouse? Said he was a friend of yours from Seattle?" Monica dug into her book and handed him a piece of paper she had written the information. "He said that he was just calling to see how you were doing."

Frank almost fell over. He hadn't heard from anyone since he and Jordan left Washington DC.

"Y-Yeah he actually is a friend, a colleague I worked with at Seattle PD. I'll call him when I can." Frank quickly shoved the paper into the left pocket of his jeans.

"Oh well he sounded like a good guy. I've gotta run now, Bye Mister Black have a good day and get some sleep you look beat." Monica turned away and walked out the door, Frank closing it behind him. He took a deep breath and leaned against the shut door. Geblehouse calling to see how Frank was only could mean one thing…they wanted him back.

It didn't matter right now anyway. He WAS tired as Monica had presumed and he figured a few winks would make it better to concentrate on this new case.

Frank came downstairs at 1:30 in the afternoon. He slept little, most likely because he just couldn't shut his mind off enough to rest. Faith's beautiful face was there running through his mind every time he tried to sleep. There was more to Faith Hutchinson than just a witness to a crime and Frank was more than willing to want to know.

He made his way into the bright kitchen and put on a pot of coffee. Then trekked back into the living room to turn on his laptop and sat down in front of it, putting on his glasses. He began surfing the web, making inquiries about the Paint Valley Motel, Bradley Beach New Jersey and the very upscale restaurant the girls worked at named The Sand Dollar. Page after page he scanned over and his mind twisting. Remembering how plagued he had been all these years by what appeared on his screens over and over and yet he could always shut it off on the computer. Just as he was, about to stand up and get him a cup of coffee the phone rang nearby and he quickly picked it up.

"Frank Black."

"Hey Frank, its Placek I got some results back from the evidence."

"Already?" Frank was surprised.

"Well, there's really not much else causing lab traffic. The dirt that was found at the scene supposedly off of the intruders' shoes came from the backyard of the motel where the girls were staying and there were no fingerprints except ones of the two girls' and the motel housekeeper."

"So basically you're calling me to tell me we have nothing." Frank's voice became agitated and low.

"Yeah pretty much but I'm still gonna keep doing my job ya know? We will find out who killed that poor girl. Did you get a chance to talk to her sister?"

"I did. She communicated through a notebook the nurse gave her."

"Did she confirm our suspicions about the other sister's husband?"

"Actually, that's a dead end Placek. Marcus Krieger has been dead for 7 months."

Placek was silent on the phone for a moment before Frank heard a heavy exhale and a distinct 'Aw crap' coming from the other side of the phone line.

"I'll keep looking Frank. No worries. We'll find all this out."

"We always do, don't we?" Frank hung up and took his glasses off. He rubbed his eyes as if he could rub the sudden thumping in his brain away as well. Maybe it was just a caffeine headache and he hoped a cup of the thick hot liquid brewing in the kitchen would take it away.

For the next four days, Frank and the Lancaster PD continued to research and came up with nothing. All of the evidence was still at the lab in jars and boxes with no solution, including Taylor's body. Even though Frank found the death certificate on Marcus Krieger, the bullet casings found at the scene were from a Glock registered to him, which just made things more complicated.

Faith was on the mend rapidly and the hospital had released her. Since she had no place to go and she was still a witness, Chief Graver thought it best to keep her in town. Instead of having her stay at motel and keep reliving the traumatic event, Frank offered the comfort of his spare bedroom. Faith accepted with slight hesitation. The police allowed her to retrieve some of her things the lab had confiscated from the motel room, which added to her healing. A clean change of clothes made her feel like a celebrity on the red carpet after wearing that itchy hospital gown. When they had arrived back at Frank's house, he immediately set her up in the guest bedroom and told her she had to rest. She obliged as he and Jordan ran back out to do errands and when they had returned hours later and discovered Faith was fast asleep. The next day went as normal as possible, with Jordan off to school and Faith staying home to rest as Frank spent some time at the police department trying to find an end to her case. That evening, Faith found she had enough strength to cook dinner in appreciation for Frank's hospitality. She had made a magnificent dish of stuffed shells, fresh garlic bread and salad. Frank and Jordan ate as if they had not had a decent meal in months. They played cards after dinner at the kitchen table and laughed comfortably until they realized it was past Jordan's bedtime. She excused herself from Faith but not before hugging her and saying goodnight. Frank followed Jordan up the stairs and after she crawled in bed in her pajamas, he sat down at her bedside and spoke.

"Did you have a good time tonight?" He asked her, smiling.

"Yes, I did. Faith's a good cook." Jordan responded.

"Yes she is."

"How long is she going to stay?" Jordan nuzzled down into the bed more and laid her head on the Hannah Montana pillow.

"I'm not sure honey. There are still a lot of things to go over with her case. It may be a few more days before she can go back home." Frank touched his daughter's face sweetly and kissed her porcelain cheek. "Do you like Faith, Jordan?"

"Yes, I do. She is nice and pretty and tells fun stories about living at the beach and working at the restaurant. She really likes you too."

Frank's eyebrows crinkled. "She likes me?"

"DUH!" Jordan said, smiling. "She likes you a lot Daddy and I think you should like her back."

Frank's face softened a little as he saw the sparkle in his eyes of his beloved daughter.

"Why do you think I should like her?"

"You're lonely, Daddy. I know how much you miss Mommy. I miss her too but I know she's not coming back. Faith is here and she's nice like Mommy was and she can cook and take care of us. Mommy would want us to have someone like her in our lives."

"Jordan, I don't want anyone to replace your mommy." Frank's voice was a little firm.

"I know. Mommy won't be replaced because she's my mommy and always will be, but she still would want us to be happy, right?" Jordan touched her father's hand gently and looked up at him with her huge doll-like eyes. "Think about it Dad, ok? I'm ok with whatever you decide but if you like Faith too then you need to tell her. She's lonely too."

Frank smiled and kissed her cheek again. He turned off the pink shaded lamp on the bedside table and stood up, holding Jordan's hand.

"I love you Jordan. Goodnight."

"I love you too daddy." She shook his hand then released it and turned over to cuddle up in the covers.

As Frank walked downstairs, he could smell that Faith had made a pot of coffee. He stood in the knotty pine kitchen doorway and noticed her putting two mugs on the table joining spoons, napkins, plates, forks and a layer cake with fluffy white icing. Frank leaned in the doorway and smiled, crossing his arms in front of him.

"When did you have time to bake a cake?" He asked.

Faith looked up and smiled back, her red hair slipped off her shoulder and covered her face slightly.

"This afternoon after Jordan got home from school. She helped me." Faith's voice was still raspy yet but it was getting better. Now she just sounded like someone recovering from laryngitis. "I kinda feel guilty having some now without her but I PROMISED her a big piece in her lunchbox tomorrow…Well, as long as it's ok with you."

"Of course it is." Frank entered the kitchen and stood near Faith. He took her hand and moved her over to one of the butcher-block chairs. He pulled it out for her and sat her down. "You cooked and now it's time for you to relax. You are doing too much around here too fast. I don't want you getting yourself overwhelmed." Frank moved to the starch white counter, took the black coffee pot carafe from the rest station, and filled both of their mugs with the glorious hot liquid.

"I'm sorry I guess it's just from being in the restaurant business for so long. Before that, I worked in a hotel kitchen and before that, I waited tables in a coffee house. Hospitality just oozes within me I guess." Faith took one of her spoons and stirred as she grabbed two cubes from the nearby sugar bowl and plopped them in. Frank smiled as he placed the pot back on the rest and sat at the chair across from Faith. He fixed his coffee and cut each of them a slice of cake.

"Faith, you know that you're very welcome here." He said breaking the silence.

"I feel very welcome here." She ate a forkful of cake and broke eye contact with him, looking down. "Maybe too welcome."

"Why?" Frank wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin. He had not had cake like this in a long time and his tongue tingled from the sweetness.

"I know why I had to stay, because of what went on and I know that when everything is over I'll have to go back to Bradley Beach with Taylor's body. Then we will bury her and I'll go back to work in my father's restaurant and go on as before. I'm not sure I want that anymore. I thought it would be good for a while, then I'd meet a nice single guy customer and I'd spill a large iced tea on him. Then he'd ask me out, we'd fall madly in love and get married."

Frank smirked. "That's not a bad idea, Faith. Why do you think it's changed?"

"I think a lot has changed, Frank. I just wish. You know its funny how I get the injury I did. My breath was almost cut off and every day before this one, I've felt so suffocated. My father was always a very suffocating man. He was someone to be afraid of, even when he was laughing and joking with you. I am ruled by his ways I suppose. It's always been that way. I went into hospitality because my father wanted me to work in his restaurant. I live in my father's gatehouse and see my father every day and I don't feel any self-determination."

"We all try to please our parents when we're younger and try to make them happy." Frank took a sip of his coffee. "It's natural I suppose to want more yet when you speak up you feel guilty."

"I guess you're right. I wish I had the strength to escape more. Taylor knew how bad a man Marcus was but she married him anyway just to break free from dad. Now she's gone." Faith set her fork down and took sip of her coffee. She set it down and stood up from her chair to look away from him with tears in her eyes.

Frank rose from his seat and stood behind her, his hand softly on her shoulders. Hot tears slipped down her cheeks and irritated her throat.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was a raspy soft whisper. "I'm just trying to let all this sink in. I wish I wasn't all caught up in this."

Frank turned Faith to face him. He softly wiped her tears away with his thumbs and raised up her chin so their eyes could meet.

"We're gonna make this better for all of us Faith. I know how strong you are. The night we found you and you held my hand I could feel your strength. As injured as you were you still held on and held on tight. I felt that flow through my hand into my entire body. You ARE strong. Nothing your father says will ever change that. I know what it must feel like not to be your own person. You don't have to feel that way anymore. You are strong and independent." He leaned in more and brushed the hair away from her face. Their noses were touching. Frank slowly pressed his lips against hers and in one forward motion, and she was in his arms. Blood pounded in her brain and he moved his hands under her tight lemon-yellow t-shirt to feel her soft skin. Her arms were clinging to him, her fingers tracing the muscles on his back and shoulders. His mouth moved over hers, devouring its softness. His lips slid to her neck, kissing her bruised Adam's apple and he spoke in a throaty whisper.

"Stay with me Faith. Don't leave me. I'll take care of you I promise. Just don't go away." The kiss broke briefly and they were staring into each other's eyes, their hands still gliding up and down one another's skin. He smiled at her with watery eyes. She moved her hand to touch his face. He placed his hand on top of hers and squeezed affectionately. His eyes closed and slid her hand over his mouth to kiss her palm. Her heart swelled with a feeling she had thought would never exist inside of her.

"I'll stay with you as long as you want me to, Frank." She said, leaning in to press him to her in a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, burying his face in her neck.


	5. Chapter 5

Five

The cell phone shrieked once, awakening Frank very early the next frosty morning. He found himself on the futon the living room, his left arm crooked under his head couldn't be felt and his right arm was lying underneath a sleeping Faith. In the echo of the second cry, he eased his arm out from under Faith and slowly tried to pry his numb arm out from under his head. He realized that they must have fallen asleep after coming in here to watch TV together.

"Damn." He whispered angrily as his arms felt heavy and numb and began the needle and pin stage. He clenched his teeth and pried himself up to a sitting position at the end of the third ring. In the middle of the fourth ring, he picked up.

"Frank Black."

"Well, good morning to you Frank." It was Placek. "I know it's early but I've been up for hours already and I don't have a pretty houseguest. I should be the cranky one."

"Placek you should spend more nights home with your wife. What's up?"

"Plenty. We have a teenage kid in custody. He said that he was skateboarding in the parking lot of the Paint Valley motel just before Taylor was killed. He heard the shots."

"Great." Frank answered, running his now felt fingers through his salt and pepper hair. He turned to look over his shoulder and saw that Faith was still sleeping. He got up from the futon with the phone and walked towards the kitchen so he would not wake her. "Where was he the night we were there looking for witnesses?"

"He said he was scared because he had pot on him and he didn't wanna get caught. Anyway, I think you need to come down here as soon as you can Frank. I tossed him a bunch of mug shots and assorted photos. He identified the person who broke the door down and shot Taylor. It was Marcus Krieger."

"Shit." Frank whispered.

About an hour later, Frank had been able to leave a note for Faith, shower and grab a cup of coffee before he trekked into the police station. He followed the steel gray and glass hall to the interrogation room. Placek was sitting there outside the door with the latest Harlan Cobin novel and a chocolate milk.

"Placek, where's the kid?" Frank sipped his coffee.

"Michael Knell." He made a hitchhiking thumb and pointed to the door. "He seems hell bent on the fact that Marcus is the guy that broke in."

"Did you tell him Marcus Krieger is dead?" Frank asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

Placek set his novel on his lap and looked up at Frank. "Frank, this investigation is going nowhere. We have a poor dead girl; her sister who almost got the life choked out of her and our suspect is a man that has been dead for seven months. If you want to know what the kid has to say you know the questions to ask. This is YOUR department."

Frank exhaled and stepped into the interrogation room. The kid turned around to see who was entering the room and he looked nervous. His hair cut on an angle, with one side shaved and bleached almost white and the angled part hanging down dyed jet black. He could not have been more than fifteen.

Frank set his coffee on the table opposite Michael and glanced over the files and photos spread out before him. "Michael, my name is Frank Black. I appreciate you coming forward like this and helping us out."

"How come the other guy couldn't ask me questions?" Michael stated, pushing the black hair out of his eyes.

"Well, because this is technically my case. I am a criminal profiler and ask different questions than the police. You know a girl was murdered and you said you know who did it. This is gonna help us a lot." Frank sat down on the steel folding chair. "I need you to tell me exactly what you saw that night."

Michael exhaled and put his hands on the table. He was wearing a tie-dyed shirt and jeans with a large black bracelet tied in macramé on his left wrist.

"That night I had a fight with my dad and went to meet some friends at the motel about six. That parking lot has many good spots for nose slides. We hung out doing b's and f's for a while but then everyone got tired and left. I stayed behind for a few minutes to talk to the motel manager. He's a cool dude letting us skate the lot and all we gotta do is pick up after ourselves. When I walked out of the office to go home this big dude walked past me and bumped right into me. He didn't even say 'sorry'."

"What did he look like?" Frank asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Big, dark hair, lumberjack plaid shirt, jeans and he really could've used a bath. He smelled nasty, like that funky smell when my dog runs his butt across the rug. Then I realized as I was walking when he bumped me my shirt I stunk like him. I was pissed because it was my old school Anthrax shirt my dad gave me that was his in high school. I took it off and just held it as I walked home. Then I heard the shots."

"How many were there?" Frank asked.

"Three. I heard screaming and then two big ones one after the other and then the third came a little bit after."

"Did you ever think to call the police?"

"No, man, I thought the office manager was gonna do it. Besides I had a dime bag on me." Michael slouched back in her chair.

Frank looked down and fished through the pictures until he found one of Marcus Krieger. He held it up to Michael.

"Is this the guy you saw?"

"Yeah, yeah, that's the guy, can I go now?"

Frank set the picture down and folded his hands in front of him on the table. "Well, Michael, here's the thing. We have a big problem. This man killed his wife and almost killed his sister-in-law but she is ok. His name is Marcus Krieger and he's been dead for seven months."

"AW you're fucking kidding me? I KNOW what I saw!" Michael pushed himself back away from the table and stood up, the chair crashed to the floor. Placek peeked in at that moment, his hand still on the doorknob.

"You ok Frank?" He asked.

"Yeah, we're fine." Frank said, never losing his natural solemn emotion.

Placek gave a stern glance at Michael and nodded at Frank before he closed the door.

"Michael, I know you saw Marcus Krieger that night. The question we are trying to find out is why. Why is a man who was declared dead showing up now and killing his wife? Did you save that shirt you were wearing the other night?"

Michael politely picked up his chair, unfolded it and sat back down. "Yeah I still have it. My mom makes me do my own laundry."

Frank smiled. "Ok, I need you to go and get your shirt, put it in a Ziploc bag and bring it down here so the lab can examine it. I also need you to stay so the lab can get a blood sample so that if we find any blood on the shirt that isn't yours we can tell."

"Dude, ok but I'm not taking a piss test." Michael stood up and pushed his chair in.

"I didn't ask you for one." Frank said.


	6. Chapter 6

SIX

Frank was on his way home from the station around five after four. His mind was on overload and he realized he had nothing much on this case except a murderer who is supposed to be dead and Faith. She had already gone through more than any person should have to endure and yet, he still had to do his job. He had to see if she could remember anything else. She was the only one right now who could give him some answers.

Frank pulled into his driveway and turned off the motor. He exited and locked the car, made his way up the walkway and opened the door with his key. He stepped in and hung his keys and jacket on the hook near the door.

"Faith, are you here?" He called out and made his way into the living room. She was not there. The scent of roasted chicken crawled up his nostrils and made his stomach growl angrily. Following the hall to the kitchen, he poked his head in the doorway, but it was empty.

"Faith? Jordan?"

Before a wave of panic and uncertainty rushed through him, he decided to make his way upstairs. He found Faith on the bed in the spare room. She was laying in a fetal position with her back facing him and she was sobbing.

"Faith," Frank's heart squeezed heartbrokenly. He sat down on the bed and touched her shoulder, sliding his hand up and down her back comforting. A minute later, she turned around. Her eyes were red and her cheeks glistened with tears.

"Hi." She said, wiping her face with the backs of her hands and sitting up. Her hair pulled back in a long ponytail and she was wearing a plain white t-shirt and dark wash jeans. He thought she was the best thing he had seen all day.

"I'm sorry you're so unhappy. I'm here now." He leaned in and kissed her salty wet lips. "This is a lot for a person to handle. I wish I could make all of this go away."

She patted his chest and sat up, reaching over to the nearby nightstand to grab a tissue from the box to blow her nose. Frank ran his hand up and down her back tenderly.

"Where's Jordan?" He asked, softly kissing her cheek when she finished wiping her nose.

"She's next door at the Downing house. She and Monica's brother Todd were going to have some kind of scientific excursion in the backyard that had to do with insects and leaves, then she wanted to sleep over. I didn't think you'd mind so I said yes." Faith crumbled the tissue in her hand and tossed it in a little brown paper lunch bag nearby the tissue box. Frank noticed it was quite full.

"No, I don't mind at all." He took Faith's hand and leaned over to kiss her. She kissed him back and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back and the smell of her hair soothed him. "I'm actually glad she's out because I wanted a few minutes to talk to you."

"Sure." She slid back on the bed to prop herself up against the headboard. "OH- I put a chicken in the oven for dinner."

Frank smiled. "I thought I smelled something good."

"Well, it just went in. I hope that is ok. You know I didn't mean to give my permission allowing Jordan to do something. I have no right but since you weren't home and-"

"Faith, its fine," he interrupted. "I trust you one hundred percent with her."

The smile slowly left his face and he broke eye contact with her. He stood up off the bed and walked around to her side to face her. "I had a lead on the case this morning. That's why I left so early."

"Frank…" She tossed her legs over the side of the bed and reached out for him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, looking up at him with glistening tear-filled eyes. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, looking down at her.

"Let's not talk about any of this right now." She began. "I've been laying here crying wondering how this can all go away but it can't. It is not a dream. I tried to sit down and read a book after I put the chicken in the oven but I couldn't. I came in here after Jordan left and I sat down on this bed and realized I had not grieved yet. With all that had gone on, I hadn't gotten the chance to just fall apart and cry for my beautiful dead sister and I needed to do that. Now I do not want to cry anymore. I can't think about anything else that has to do with her or this situation tonight. I just want to leave all this behind for a little while." She stood up to face Frank. "I wanted you to come home so I could tell you how much I wanted you. I wanted to hold your face in my hands, kiss it, smell your neck, and run my hands up and down your arms. I wanted you to take off my clothes and remind me that I'm still a woman." She grabbed his shirt and pulled his torso towards her to kiss him. Frank wrapped his arms tighter around her body as they kissed. Her lips were soft and his tongue tingled like electric shocks throughout her body. He pushed her down on the bed and lay on top of her, his lips covering hers. His hands slid up the sides of her face and yanked the rubber tie out of her hair. Her copper curls flowed around them like the finest silk hanging in the most expensive shops in China. They were kissing and awakening everything each of them had thought was dead, each touch bringing them back to life. He ran his hands down her back and grabbed the bottom of her t-shirt. She raised herself up long enough for him to pull the shirt off and toss it across the room to the floor, her breasts exposed. He took time to look into her eyes as he slid her jeans and panties off her alabaster skinned body. Their lips returned to each other, hungrily fulfilling one another's sexual appetites. His lips left hers and made their way down her neck and her chest, his senses feeding on her moans of pleasure. He ran his tongue over her pale nipples, awakening her pleasure more and more. She ran her fingertips down the sides of him and tore at his trousers to free him. A searing heat shot through his loins like a burning arrow as she touched the most sensitive part of his body. He felt so hard he could not wait any longer. His lips returned to hers and then slid down her neck to whisper in her ear.

"I love you Faith."

He could hold off no longer and his hardness burned as he found her entrance. She moaned and dragged her nails across his back as she received each impact. Her thoughts spun and she could think of herself nowhere else every night for the rest of her life except with him. He raised himself on his arms to look in her eyes and see the reaction from each pleasure he was giving her. He laid back down on her again, her breasts smushed against the soaking wetness of his chest. She suddenly wrapped her arms around him, pulling his body towards her almost as if they could merge as one. He felt her explode around him and with difficulty he held back enough to find a constant rhythmic movement inside of her repeatedly as hard as he could while she came. He followed her immediately, releasing into her and growling low in his throat like an animal and clinging to her. Repeatedly he released his pleasures within her, holding her close to him. A few moments passed as the two of their sweat-soaked bodies locked together, each of them slowly coming down from their climax. When he was able to, Frank rolled himself to Faith's side and she cuddled against his chest. He snuggled his arms around her and fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

SEVEN

Faith was standing at the sink, scraping off the dinner dishes and handing them to Frank, who loaded them in the dishwasher. She looked up occasionally to watch the rainfall out the window. Frank smiled each time he took a dish from her. Everything she had made was delicious and there were few leftovers since they were both ravenous when they woke up.

Frank took the last dish from her and closed the door to the dishwasher. He slid the lock over, turned the dial and pushed the button. He leaned up against it as he watched Faith dry her hands off on a towel and take a seat at the kitchen table in front of him. It was time to talk.

"Faith," he began. Even though he changed after he woke up, he could still smell her on his skin. His body felt refreshed and alive. "That phone call early this morning was because we had a witness that heard the shots the night Taylor was killed."

Faith's face softened and there was a look of genuine concern and inquisition. "Really? Did they see anything? Do they know who it was?" She set the dishtowel on the edge of the table.

"Well, it was a kid who was skateboarding in the parking lot. He actually saw the guy and bumped into him."

"He did?" Faith's eyes widened. Maybe she could finally be on the road to closure.

"Yeah but we have a problem."

Her forehead crinkled. "What kind of problem?"

"I showed the kid a few pictures and he identified one and said it was definite." Frank paused and sat down on the chair next to her. His stomach was twisting and turning.

Faith touched his shoulder. "What is it, Frank? Who was it that killed my sister and almost killed me?"

He looked into her eyes and took her hand as the rain fell harder and hammered on the windows. "Faith, it was Marcus. The guy who killed Taylor was ID'D as Marcus Krieger."

Faith pulled away from him softly and looked at him as if he had just told her he hated her. She stood up from her seat and took a few steps away. She leaned up against the countertop, hugging herself. Her mind flashed back to the night Marcus was killed. She remembered the night Taylor called her with tears flooding down her cheeks, telling her that Marcus had just been in a bad car accident. Faith did not even remember driving to the hospital. The hallway seemed like a rat maze until she turned the corner and saw her sister screaming and sobbing in a ball on the glossy white hospital floor as their father held her tightly. Faith squeezed her eyes tightly and the next image that flashed through her mind was the wake. There was a mass of colorful flowers at the edge of the coffin with Marcus's body peacefully resting in the center. She remembered stepping up to, it and tears filling her eyes as she could hear Taylor is crying echo through the massive walls of the church. Faith kneeled before the casket and glanced at Marcus. He was dead and she saw the body. He was DEAD.

Faith shook her head slightly and snapped back to present day. She looked over at Frank with a sad and confused look.

"Frank…how is this possible? Marcus had a heart attack while driving home. He died on the steering wheel and ran the car off the road into a tree. How do you come back after that?"

"I know." Frank moved towards her and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close. "We will figure this out, Faith. There's got to be an explanation."

"Perhaps I can help." A voice shattered the room. Frank turned around and his mouth hung open. Standing in the doorway of the kitchen was Lucy Butler.


	8. Chapter 8

Eight

Frank's eyes widened as he swiftly pushed Faith behind him to block her body with his. His face had gone red and angry and Faith was scared.

"Faith, get out of here! Head out the back door and go to the Downing's now!" Frank shouted, his voice booming through the room like a thunderclap. He slowly started to back her towards the door, his eyes never leaving Lucy.

"Why? I'm not gonna leave you, Frank." Faith said protesting. "Who is this woman and why is she in your house?"

Frank turned and grabbed Faith's arm to shove her out the back door. "Do as I say please!"

Faith tore her arm away from Frank's grasp. "NO! I wanna know what's going on!"

"Oh please, let me do that." Lucy Butler calmly stepped into the room as the two of them returned their gaze back to her. She was dressed in a long sleeved black dress and black boots. She had braided choker around her neck that seemed to be chestnut brown human hair. Her hair was down and her lips were red. She pulled out a chair from the table and sat down. "You see, Frank and I go back a long way. It took me a while to find him after our last encounter, but then I received messages from a secret source. Frank was going to fall in love and of course, I had to interfere. Therefore, I planned the perfect Harlequin romance novel. A beautiful lonely woman narrowly escapes death and is rescued by the lonely peace officer hero." Lucy looked up at the two of them and smiled a wide grin. "Give them a chance to lick each other's wounds then POOFT!" Lucy's hands went playfully up in the air as if she was surprising a 5 year old at a birthday party. She turned her head towards the kitchen doorway and spoke. "Come on out Marcus. It's time."

Frank stood together with Faith, his hand clutching hers as tightly as it did the first night they met. Dragging footsteps emerged from the hallway and they watched in horror as a very dead Marcus Krieger appeared. He was carrying a gun in one gray-skinned rotting hand and a very large machete in the other. His face held no emotion and his eyes were black as night. He took one-step into the room slowly and then another, inching his way towards Frank and Faith.

"So, I dug myself up a dead husband and made a plan which as I can see turned out perfectly. I get my fun and Frank and his new love get dead."

The color had drained away from Faith's face, her heart thumping madly like a trapped bird. She stepped slowly to the left side of Frank and stared at Marcus, her face softening in a mix of terror and sadness.

"Faith don't do this!" Frank grabbed her wrist hard and tried to stop her from stepping towards the zombie. She shook her hand away again and took another step.

"Marcus?" She managed to pull the word from her healing throat. She cautiously took another step towards him, the tears streaming down her face. "Marcus, its Faithie." She said in a mix of total confusion and grief. Suddenly Faith turned to face Lucy with a hot fiery anger that made Frank's heart freeze in fear.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?" Faith screamed even though it made her throat rip and burn to throw the words out. Violent tears sizzled as they ran down her face. "YOU TOOK PEACE FROM HIM FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL SATISIFACTION? All because YOU cannot stand someone else being happy! HOW MUCH OF A MONSTER ARE YOU?"

Lucy shot up from her chair, grabbed a handful of Faith's hair, and pulled her close.

"I can show you."

Frank wanted to lunge but Lucy swiftly turned them around and showed Frank she had the upper hand.

"Move and I snap her neck!" She glared at him with burning eyes. Again, it was Lucy Butler making him feel helpless and he realized that he had to do something this time. Lucy turned back to face Marcus with her hand entangled and gripping Faith's hair.

"All I need to do is say one thing and he can kill you just like he killed your sister, Faith. Do you remember that night? Remember the darkness and the fear that went through you as you heard your sister scream and the shots that deafened your ears? I find the thoughts very satisfying." Frank's blood boiled through his body as his heart pounded in anger as he watched Lucy lean in and lick the side of Faith's tear soaked face. "Mmmm." She smiled with an air of pleasure.

"That's ENOUGH Lucy! You have done enough to me and it's time all of this ended!" It was time to take action. Frank had seen too much blood in his life, felt too much pain and heard too many people cry. He was not going to let it happen ever again as long as there was breath still in him. Frank took another step forward, Lucy's hand clenched tightly into Faith's hair, and she pulled harder.

"I mean it Frank. Do not take another step or I WILL kill her."

"If you wanted to kill her Lucy you would've done it already." Frank's voice calmed softly. "You would've done it that night you had Taylor killed. You have a plan don't you? This is all about power and the upper hand. It's always been about you in control but now it's time all this has ended." Frank suddenly reached over to the counter and grabbed a knife out of the butcher's block. He hurled it at Lucy and it caught her in the right collarbone. She released the grip she had on Faith and screeched as she eased the knife out of her skin. Faith tried to run off but found herself in the arms of Marcus, who held her and squeezed like a doll. Frank sprung out at Lucy and wrestled her to the floor, pinning her down.

"YOU WILL NOT WIN LUCY! NOT THIS TIME! THIS IS DONE! TELL ME NOW HOW TO RELEASE MARCUS! TELL ME!"

Lucy just laid there and smirked beneath the strong arms of Frank. She slithered one of her legs between his and jammed her knee upwards. Frank winced and rolled off her, moaning in pain. Lucy shot up on her feet but Frank managed to grab the hem of her skirt and used it to pull himself up. The adrenaline flowing through him numbed his pain for the moment. He lunged and Lucy found herself out of breath shortly as Frank clocked her in the chin. He made a great effort to stay on his feet and kicked her hard repeatedly. If it was possible to break Lucy's bones, Frank was making a huge attempt.

"Frank!" Faith's voice screeched as Frank looked up and realized that she was not there. He dashed to chase after her but stopped dead in his tracks to listen. He turned and made his way back to the kitchen and noticed Lucy was gone. He darted out the back door and into the yard; the rain hit his body like sharp needles. Frank closed his eyes, trying to feel Faith's presence. He heard her faintly cry out his name and he made his way through the muddy back yard terrain and hopped over the peeling white log fence and into the deep woods. He ran a few more feet and then felt something hit the back of his neck and he passed out.


	9. Chapter 9

NINE

Frank woke up on the ground, his body was soaking wet. His head throbbed and he felt as though he would throw up. The rain had let up some and he noticed he was in the woods near his house in a clearing. Slowly he sat up and realized in the firelight Marcus was standing there holding Faith by her arms. Her clothes were missing and she shivered from a mix of cold and fear. Just as Michael had described it, the smell of something dank and dead, like rotting garbage crept up Frank's nose and it was unmistakably coming from Marcus. His eyes empty and without emotion, stared out at nothing. Lucy was standing near them with her lip bleeding. Frank noticed Lucy held a sharp knife in her hand and she raised it to Faith's body. Her eyes trembled in fright as Lucy ran the icy blade up and down her torso and pressed harder, piercing her skin. Faith whimpered and cried as the sharpness of the blade met her warm abdomen and twisted. Blood began to flow down her naked legs. Lucy pressed harder, jagging across Faith's silky white flesh. She let out a soft moan in pain.

"We could make a deal Frank. I let her go you come and be with me. Love me as you love her. I could be everything you want. You are all I ever wanted don't you understand that?" Lucy stepped towards him, pointing the knife as she helped him get to his feet. Frank wobbled a bit and Lucy held him steady. She touched his face with the bloody knife and kissed his lips. Frank stood there paralyzed and stone faced, his eyes fixed on the bleeding Faith. He knew he had to do something fast or they were both dead. Frank suddenly raised his arm and punched Lucy again in the face. She went down hard but shoved the knife deep into his thigh. He yelled out in pain and went down on one knee.

"You don't get it do you?" Lucy angrily screeched. "I AM THE ONE TO FEAR! I AM THE ONE IN CONTROL!"

"No, Lucy, there are many things you CAN control, but this isn't one of them. Love is the one thing you have never been able to control!" Frank continued to scream at her as the pain in his thigh throbbed. "You have tried so hard to take it away from so many people but it was the one thing that was always stronger than you ever could be. You have fought me for years now, trying to ruin everything I cared about and you have hurt so many people. It is time to let Faith go and let Marcus rest in peace. It's time for all this to end." Frank swiftly charged at Lucy and pushed her down to the ground hard. The knife flew from her hand as he slapped and grabbed at her, lashing out all the anger and pain she had ever caused anyone and threw it back at her. He ripped the braided chain from around her neck in order to get a closer grasp but as he did so, a flash of lightening and an ear-splitting wail filled the night sky and shook the ground, knocking everyone off their feet. Frank could hear Faith scream and everything went dark.

Hours later, Faith woke up and realized she was back in the house on Frank's bed. Her wounds were tended to and Frank was lying next to her, smiling and holding her hand. She could see out the window that dawn was breaking and the rain had stopped.

"Frank? My God," She said, pulling him to her and clutching tightly. "What happened?"

He gave her a soft smile. "It's over. Everything is over. When I woke up Lucy and Marcus were gone. I'm sure he's back at rest and we won't be hearing from her ever again."

Faith let out a heavy sigh and snuggled up against him. "I don't know much of what went on here and what I do know I wanna forget and move on."

Frank smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. "You will."

Faith nuzzled into the curve of Frank's arms and closed her eyes. "We will."

Three days later, Mister and Misses Hutchinson arrived to bury their daughter Taylor. They thought it best not to bring her back to Bradley Beach and chose a delicate spot at the local cemetery. After the funeral, Danvers Hutchinson stood there, watching his oldest daughter be lowered into the ground. Danvers was a broad shouldered man with a thick mass of reddish brown hair, strong face, squinted eyes and firm jaw. The sky was gray and dark with thick brooding clouds and a chilly wind bringing the forecast of snow. Frank watched unmoving, his heart squeezing in sympathy. He could not imagine what he would be feeling if anything ever happened to Jordan.

Frank glanced over to see Faith and her mother Charlotte engaged in conversation near the head precession car. Faith's eyes shifted over and saw Frank walk over to her dad, his long black coat swinging side to side.

"Mister Hutchinson I'm very sorry for your loss." Frank said with sincerity.

Danvers did not look up at him but he spoke. "I told Faith today that we sold the restaurant and my wife and I will be moving to Florida in a week. Her brother lives there and so does my mother and sister. Can't stand this northern chill much anymore…goes clear through to my heart."

"I understand." Frank replied.

Danvers raised his head and stared out into the cemetery.

"My daughter said she was going to stay here in Pennsylvania…with you." Danvers's voice was stern and almost angry.

Frank nodded slightly but did not let himself be intimidated. "That's right. There is a hotel in the next town looking for a new kitchen chef. I thought Faith would be happy there. It's only a fifteen minute drive from my house."

Danvers did not say anything for a few seconds as the casket was completely lowered into the space.

"What is it that you do, Mister Black?" Danvers questioned still not making eye contact.

"I'm a criminal profiler for the local police department. I've also worked for the FBI and numerous other law enforcement groups."

Danvers nodded as if he approved. "And you also deal with…the unexplained?"

Frank nodded.

"And you are in love with my daughter?" He turned and faced Frank, expecting a solid answer.

"Yes sir, I am very much." Frank replied without hesitation. "I will do my very best to take care of her and my daughter Jordan. They are my priorities and my world."

"Then we shall expect the three of you for Christmas." Danvers turned and tapped Frank on the shoulder as he began to walk away towards the cars. Frank turned to follow him, his long black coat swinging as he walked towards Faith. She stepped away from the limo as she watched her parents enter the back seat. Frank sauntered up to her and took her chilled hand sweetly.

"What happened?" She asked curiously.

Frank smiled softly. "You can breathe."

A few months later on a sunny afternoon, Faith walked through the back door and into the kitchen carrying groceries. Frank was standing there pouring himself a cup of coffee watching Jordan and Todd on the floor laughing and playing with Todd's new beagle puppy. Frank set his mug down on the counter to grab the groceries from Faith's arms. He kissed her as her wedding ring shone brightly in glare of the sun.


End file.
